Chapter 46
Chapter 46: A Small Town Two Thousand Years Ago
Lina followed Mira out of the jungle, learning useful information from her as they walked.
She was currently near a small town called Kalinte, within the city-state of Ronield in the western region of the Kanniat Dynasty.
In this era, women with magical power were called ‘Saintesses’, while men with magical power were called ‘Holy Knights’. Once they came of age, they would head to the Holy City of Lundesor to resist the ‘Dark Tide’ that eroded the world.
Lina silently committed all of this to memory. She let Mira hold her hand, following this lively little guide as they stumbled along the forest path, one step shallow, one step deep.
The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the increasingly sparse branches, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow across the ground. The air was filled with the fresh scent released by transpiring plants, making it feel refreshing and pleasant.
Mira seemed extremely familiar with this forest. She nimbly weaved between the trees, occasionally reminding Lina to watch out for roots or vines underfoot.
“Be careful here, there’s a small puddle!”
“Go this way, it’s shorter.”
Along the way, Mira chattered nonstop like a bird that had just found its voice.
“Actually… I’m also one of the candidate Saintesses,” she said with a slightly embarrassed smile, her pink hair fluttering gently in the evening breeze. “But my magical talent is pretty average. I can mostly just vaguely sense the emotions of plants, and also… um… I’m more devout when praying?” She stuck out her tongue in a self-deprecating manner.
“I came to the forest this time to find ‘Silverleaf Grass’ for Uncle Hunter, the old blacksmith in the village,” Mira pointed to the small basket hooked over her arm, where several faintly silver-glowing herbs lay. “He forges tools and weapons for everyone, and he’s so overworked that his coughing illness flared up again. Only the Silverleaf Grass deep in the forest can ease his pain. But right after I found the herbs, I saw you collapsed in that clearing.”
“The Holy City… what is it like now?” Lina asked tentatively.
“Huh? Lady Saintess, you… don’t know what the Holy City looks like?” Mira turned back in surprise, a trace of confusion flashing through her violet eyes, quickly replaced by sympathy. “Ah, sorry, you said you lost your memory… As for the Holy City, I’ve only heard my uncle describe it. It’s a city of miracles. Huge white stone buildings tower into the clouds, and at the center of the city there’s a pillar of light connecting heaven and earth. They say that’s where the gods and the Nine Great Saints reside… I really hope that one day I can pass the trials and go see it for myself.”
It seemed that Mira’s ‘uncle’ knew quite a lot. If there was a chance, she should ask him…
She continued, “The ‘gods’ you mentioned…”
“They’re the guardian deities of our Kanniat Dynasty!” Mira’s tone grew even more reverent. “Especially the great Goddess of Holy Light… Ah!” she suddenly exclaimed, pointing ahead. “Look! We’re almost there!”
Lina followed the direction she pointed and saw a well-trodden dirt road appear before her. At the end of the road stood a small town.
The town was surrounded by stone walls, with a stone archway standing at its entrance. Specks of lamplight, under the glow of dusk, outlined the town in a soft golden hue.
“That’s our little town,” Mira’s smile appeared especially warm in the twilight. “Let’s go, Miss Lavinia. First we’ll deliver the herbs to Uncle Hunter, then I’ll find you a place to rest properly. You must have gone through something very difficult to end up here.”
Passing through the stone archway of the town, the lively noise of people and the warm atmosphere of daily life rushed toward them.
Rows of houses lined both sides of the stone-paved road. Most of these buildings were made of wood and stone, with a rough yet practical style. Some windowsills were decorated with blooming flowers, adding a touch of vitality to the town.
Farmers returning late carried hoes over their shoulders, several housewives called out to children reluctant to come home, and the air was filled with the mingled scents of baked bread, stewing meat, and livestock.
From time to time, townsfolk cast curious glances at Lina’s unusual attire. Lina responded with calm smiles, and perhaps because of Mira, no one showed hostility toward this oddly dressed outsider.
Mira cheerfully greeted the townsfolk they passed while leading Lina into a slightly narrower alley.
Deeper inside the alley, the sound of hammering iron became clearer, mixed with bouts of suppressed yet heavy coughing.
A low but sturdy stone house came into view. In front of it stood a simple shed built from piled stones. The forge fire had already gone out, though a trace of residual warmth still lingered.
An unusually burly old man, bare-chested, hunched over as he leaned against the doorframe. His bronze-colored skin was covered in sweat and soot, his knotted muscles like the gnarled roots of an ancient tree, yet now they trembled uncontrollably from his violent coughing.
His hair was gray and disheveled, his face darkened by years of smoke from the furnace, yet a sharp glint still hid within his eyes.
“Grandpa Hunter! We’re back!” Mira called out brightly as she jogged over.
The old blacksmith raised his cloudy eyes. When he saw Mira, his expression softened for a brief moment, but he quickly stiffened his face again and growled in a hoarse voice, “What are you yelling for! *Cough cough*… I’m not dead yet! That old bastard Erich, letting a little girl like you go out alone to risk your life gathering medicine—if something in the forest had dragged you off, I’d crawl out of my grave and smash him with a hammer! *Cough cough cough*…”
Mira seemed long accustomed to his way of speaking and didn’t mind at all. Instead, she grinned and raised the basket. “Look! I found the Silverleaf Grass! I’ll go brew your medicine right away!” She darted skillfully into the kitchen beside the smithy.
The old blacksmith snorted, and only then did his gaze fall on Lina standing behind. He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering for a moment on her attire that clashed with the locals, his brows knitting even tighter. “And who are you? Dressed all strange… an outsider?”
Lina nodded and gave a faint smile. “Elder, I don’t know where I come from either… When I woke up, I was lying in the Moonlight Forest…”
“Hm… are you injured anywhere?” The old man frowned. “Those Night Howlers in the forest aren’t something to mess with.”
“No, thank you for your concern,” Lina replied, while quietly gathering a trace of magic. A faint starlight flickered deep within her pupils.
Invisible threads of magic gently extended toward the old blacksmith’s body. In Lina’s perception, Hunter’s robust physique was like a massive tree hollowed out by insects—his lungs were entwined with an ominous aura. This was no ordinary cough; it resembled… being eroded by something carrying negative energy. The presence was extremely faint, but for an ordinary person, it would be enough to slowly drain away vitality.
At that moment, Mira emerged from the house carrying a steaming clay bowl. “The medicine’s ready, Grandpa Hunter! Drink it while it’s hot!”
The old blacksmith took the bowl, frowning at the dark green liquid inside, muttering, “Bitter as hell…” But he still tilted his head back and gulped it down in large swallows.
At the instant he was swallowing the medicine, his attention scattered, Lina’s hand hanging by her side twitched almost imperceptibly. A faint strand of magic slipped silently into the old blacksmith’s body.
The magic flowed precisely toward his lungs, quietly repairing the tissues damaged by the cold, yin-like aura, while enveloping and absorbing that strange presence.
All of this happened within the span of a few breaths; even Mira, standing right beside him, noticed nothing.
After finishing the medicine, the old blacksmith smacked his lips and shoved the empty bowl back into Mira’s hands. He instinctively wanted to curse about how awful it tasted, but suddenly paused.
He subconsciously took a deep breath. The suffocating tightness that had plagued him for days, along with the bloody itch deep in his throat, had suddenly lessened by more than half! His breathing felt smoother than it ever had before.
He looked uncertainly at the empty bowl, then at Mira’s expectant face, and finally his gaze landed once more on Lina, whose expression remained calm. A flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes.
He opened his mouth, but in the end only waved his hand gruffly. “Medicine’s done—now scram! Don’t stand around getting in the way! Mira, take your… friend and find a place to settle in. It’s getting dark! If there’s really nowhere… my storage room happens to be empty. I can clear out a room for her!”
Seeing that Uncle Hunter’s complexion really seemed better and his coughing had eased, Mira replied happily, “It’s okay, Grandpa Hunter! Sister Lavinia can stay at our house tonight!”
Then she excitedly pulled Lina away from the blacksmith’s shop.
After walking a short distance, Lina faintly heard the old blacksmith’s now vigorous muttering from behind, “Strange… why’s the medicine so effective today?…”